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FAIRBANKS — Typically, most tribute bands are playing someone else’s music because they can’t get their own act together. Battery, the “Masters of Metallica,” however, is the story of a good band looking for a creative way to get signed.

Formed in 1991, Battery was created as a platform to showcase Disaster Area, a Toronto-based metal band looking to sign a contract in the United States. Label A&R men deemed Disaster “too heavy,” Battery drummer Laurence Langley said. “They were looking for Bon Jovi-type acts. They said we were good, but not right for the market then.”

But Disaster Area’s renditions of Metallica songs drew notice. After fielding calls from booking agents looking for a Metallica tribute band, Langely said the band quickly seized upon the opportunity as a way promote Disaster Area at the same time.

Langley said the band toured with the stipulation that they got to choose the opening act each night. Conveniently, it was Disaster Area.

“We came up with Battery as an alter-ego for Disaster Area,” he recalled. “Battery would tour and bring the crowds by doing the Metallica tribute, and Disaster Area would open for Battery. It would be easier to push our metal stuff that way.” The only difference between the two bands, besides songs, was minor costume changes and stage design adjustments, but crowds didn’t seem to mind.

Langley said the plan worked to some degree, getting Disaster Area some radio airplay, but when original singer Teague Purtell quit in 1999, Langley said the remaining band members decided to get a new singer and focus exclusively on Battery.

These days Battery pretty much embodies Metallica. There is the concert intro, strobe lights, long hair (reminiscent of the early Metallica-period) and, of course, the all-black clothes. Songs cover almost every album, from “Kill ‘Em All,” “Ride The Lighting,” “And Justice For All,” “Master of Puppets” (Langley’s favorite), and more recent efforts such as “Load” and “Reload.” Battery also plays three songs — “Cyanide,” “The Day That Never Comes” and “All Nightmare Long” — from Metallica’s most recent release, “Death Magnetic.”

The only album not getting the tribute treatment is “St. Anger,” which Langley said wasn’t “typical” of Metallica and the songs seemed to put people off.

“We originally did ‘Frantic’ and ‘St. Anger,’ but crowds weren’t too supportive, so we dropped them,” he said.

Langley said Battery has the endorsement of Metallica, and was even invited to open during the band’s “Garage, Inc.” tour. On that tour, Battery opened every show playing original Metallica songs followed by Metallica playing the cover songs from the “Garage, Inc.” album.

“It was great,” Langley recalled. “We were playing 5,000-seat venues, sold out every night.”

For the band’s debut trip to the far north, they will have to settle for a few hundred fans packing The Blue Loon Saturday. Langley said it doesn’t matter where the band plays.

“We keep going around the country headbanging and doing hair-whips,” he said. “It’s just like (the real Metallica).”

Well, almost.